Making Healthy Choices Over the Holidays
The holiday season can be so busy that it is easy to feel like healthy food and lifestyle choices fall by the wayside in favor of quick and easy options. For some of us, the whole year may feel this way. The real fix to this is probably savagely prioritizing and only saying yes to the activities which we can do without feeling overwhelmed. However, that may not always be possible in the short term, so I am here today with some simple suggestions that may help you make healthier decisions in the moment.
Drink enough water throughout the day.
Bring your water bottle with you if you are running errands. Make sure you have a glass of water with each of your meals.
Try to aim for a few minutes outside during daylight hours every day. Even if it’s cold.
The long hours of darkness during winter can easily get to you and make you feel sluggish or sad. Getting outside with natural light and a little bit of nature can help you stay grounded while the days are short and the nights are long. If you think you may have seasonal affective disorder, consider talking to your doctor and/or purchasing a light box for inside use.
If you don’t have regular time set aside for exercise then consider adding just 5 minutes in the morning of stretching or weights.
Habit and motivation are probably the two biggest hurdles to developing an exercise routine. The key is to start small with something that feels doable. Asking a friend or family member to be your accountability buddy can go a long way too. So, find a time of day where you know you will have consistent availability. Choose how many days a week you are going to exercise. Then, start with just 5 minutes at a time. It’s more important to build the habit then it is to get a huge workout in. If you overdo it you are more likely to hurt yourself or just be too tired or sore to want to participate the next time you are supposed to exercise. So, when you set your goals make them specific and realistic. Find someone to help you be accountable. Then get going! Once you have the habit down then you can add more time, more exercises, or more weight.
Before you go to a holiday party, decide how much alcohol you plan on drinking.
It’s easy to over drink if you aren’t intentional about it, so plan ahead and decide what kind of night it’s going to be. For the social butterflies out there you may have several events over the course of a week, so pace yourself. Make sure you drink enough water (see #1) and get enough sleep so you aren’t phoning it in the next day. Be kind to your future self.
If dinner is happening at a gathering, party, or school event, be mindful of how much you’re eating.
If you are busy socializing or eating while standing you may be more prone to overeating. Sit to eat when that is an option. Be mindful of the foods your choose and be mindful while you are eating. Give yourself time between bites and check in with your body to see if you are still hungry. Distracted eating leads to overeating.
Same goes for the dessert table.
If there is a huge dessert spread, make intentional decisions about what you are going to eat. If it’s a Costco brownie tray, you know you will probably see that a few more times this month and unless you really love the Costco brownies, you might choose to skip that particular option this time around. It can be helpful to keep in mind that there will always be other chances to have something. Unless there won’t be, and if that’s the case, then go for it! Everything in moderation, including moderation.
Wishing everyone a balanced, restorative holiday season!
